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The BCGA has been busy working on a new coin for 2009. BCGA's Executive is a volunteer Board of Directors which takes on various tasks - the website, forums, events, a newsletter, liaison with Parks and communities, and other tasks - and it also produces a special geocoin. Production of a coin is a complex and expensive venture, but the Executive believes that a coin unique to the culture, heritage, and geography of B.C. is part of the promotion of our activity in our area. It is also a fund-raiser for the Society providing needed funds for events, prizes, and the costs of the association. It is a win-win for the geocaching community.

A Coin Committee was struck to come up with the ideas, review the designs, tender out the bids and proposals. The committee was asked to ensure that no conflict of interest or even a perception of a conflict of interest was present. After a fairly extensive process which included 4 separate suppliers, the committee has recommended a design and a supplier to the Executive.

We don't want to give away too much at this time, but here are some “teasers”:

the coin design is unique

First Nations of BC themes were used

the coin will be a “must-have”

At this point we just want to let our membership understand that we have taken great pains to ensure a fair, open, and honest approach was taken with all phases of the BCGA coin. We are satisfied that we have followed sound business principles and have done everything we can to allow competitive bidding and unbiased evaluation of the proposals. On top of all that, we are very pleased with the coin itself!

Our thanks to Landsharkz for their competitive bid and their enthusiasm to our project!

I loved the 2008 BCGA geocoin...I bought 2 but they were too pretty to put in caches so I kept one and gave one to my cousin who introduced me to geocaching. Now I won another in the photo contest...but they are still too beautiful to part with. Hopefully this year's coin will be as nice. I love the idea of the First Nations theme.

Well, this year's coin is amazing. You will definitely not want to part with this coin! Hopefully we will be able to post the pics soon! It's been a lot of work and it's a design that has kept the manufacturers busy! What can we say? It will be another stunning coin the BCGA can be proud of!

Sorry, we are behind the normal deadline for our coin right now. We have experienced a shift in executive and this being such a new design it's been a longer process than usual. I think end of May or early June will be the time line unfortunately...However that being said I think it will be worth the wait! The coins will definitely be available for the blitz prizes too!

Here is some shots of a nearly finished coin. Sorry for the lateness of these pics! There are a few changes that are being made but this should wet the whistle of some of you that are ever patiently waiting for this coin! Keep in mind that some translucent colors are being reworked a bit and the black nickel coin is being tweaked plating wise and the white on the First Nations art will be crisp white!(and trust me, the colors on the black nickel are going to be much better then pictured!)

The antique copper version is the coin available to EVERYONE!

The black nickel finish (which will be brushed black nickel) is the BCGA member only coin. Sooo...this means if you want one of these and you aren't a BCGA member, you better sign up quick or you will have to suck up and make friends with a BCGA member

The coins will be presale shortly (I know I keep saying that but we are ironing out some details!)

Stay Tuned!

Last edited by boomerangpapa on Sun Jul 12, 2009 8:59 am; edited 1 time in total

I just wanted to add something here. This one of a kind amazing coin is also wearable. You can see the loop on top has been extended to allow you to wear this piece of trackable art or hang it from your rear view mirror, or over your bed! We have made sure the integrity of the artist's concept about geocaching came first along with the overall them of the dreamcatcher. I hope you will love this coin as much as the BCGA coin team does!

2009 Coins are now available for purchase! Click Here. This link is also available from the Geocoin/Donate item in the waypoints menu or the big Donate button on the top right hand side of the home page.

2009 Coins are now available for purchase! Click Here. This link is also available from the Geocoin/Donate item in the waypoints menu or the big Donate button on the top right hand side of the home page.

When is the current expected delivery date? Should we just edit it to read 2010?

When we order coins I think there is a reasonable expectation that the 2009 coin will be available in the first half of the year. While I understand the "getting up to speed" time for the new executive, perhaps the decision about the design of the coin should not be entirely up to the new executive each year. Next year with Geowoodstock in Seattle perhaps the planning should be starting now so we have the coins before the event.

I purchase one "members" coin and one of the "general" coins each year. I do this because it is a BCGA fund raiser. I do not collect any other coins except for events I attend ( Geowoodstock, Coal Rush etc). I have them in a drawer somewhere.

This year I felt the black coin looks like Mad Magazine's spy vs spy meets Ookpik. The brass coin looks slightly better. The fact the design is native in origin is fine with me - I just don't happen to like that particular one.

Why is there no consultation with the "great unwashed" when the design is being considered? I have seen great debate in years past about the design and seem to remember many posts about whether a kayak should show up on the beach or not.

If I had a vote I believe I would have chosen the one Scruffster posted that reminded me of the 1958 silver dollar and I liked it.

My concern about this lack of consultation continues to the Association business in general. While I am sure the Executive is working hard at things, I believe most of the members would be hard pressed to know what they are. The newsletter doesn't really tell us too much, if anything.

Have we lost another Director? If in fact we have, should this not be made public?

The Executive is elected each year to represent ALL the members - THEY got a coin THEY liked but what have any of them done for ME lately?

Hey, I'll reply! Sorry I've been away for a week and a bit. About the coin, we are expecting them in as few as three weeks from now... but they are a complex coin and could take a week or even two longer than normal. The pre-sale period was extended a bit, but the production order is in now.

BTW, I remember the discussion about the coin with the kayak on the beach too... Although discussed on the BCGA forums a number of years ago, that one never was a BCGA coin. That art was prepared by me and became the 2006 BC geocoin.

Don't know the history of how a coin design is determined, and frankly, I don't really care. But this year, the process of deciding on a new coin seems to have brought the critics out of the woodwork. Last I heard, the directors are all volunteers. It seems to me they have tried to do their best for the BCGA. It also seems to be a thankless task, but generally volunteers aren't hanging around waiting for accolades.

How about this...again, not knowing the history...have a certain time period where people a) suggest subjects for the coin b) submit designs and c) have the BCGA members vote for their favourite design? Of course, everyone won't be pleased, but you can only please some of the people all of the time, all of the people...you know how it goes. The timeline for all of this can be short, so that the coin is produced earlier in the year. It has to be tendered for production, etc. so all that requires time, too.
JMHO

What about consultation with the members? It seems to have worked with the coin you mentioned.

Was this design a product of a number of ideas or was it something someone puched through to get an artist work? I understand the significance of the story of the raven and geocaching and the premise is a good one. But having it take so long to get to the members is a problem. Perhaps a less intricate design would strike a balance between content and time. As a member I have no idea of any of that. I believe the Executive is elected to represent the members and this design isn't a coin I feel represents me.

Have there been more Director appointments after resignations etc?

But what about the question of what the Executive is doing for ME and why should I or anyone else remain a member of the BCGA?

I know there was the Blitz, a coin, and a Geocaching 101 but what else? That may be all there is because of time constraints on a volunteer position - that I can understand, if I knew that was the case. But it appears to me to be a void of communication from what I consider to be the leadership of the BCGA.

The Forums are there, why is there no section where a "Coles Notes" version of content of Executive conference calls, meetings, discussions etc could be accessed by the membership ? Obviously, tentative designs for coins could be shown there and comments made for a period of time.

This sort of communication would go a ways to letting the membership know what is happening in OUR association, the direction it is going and perhaps help us decide why we should continue to support the BCGA.

First of all, you are right. Consultation with the BCGA members for a theme of ideas for the coin would be a great starting place for next years coin. I will personally bring it up to the current Exec for us to think about planning the next coin by generaing info from the members late this year so that the next Exec has a canvas that has some ideas on it so that the process won't take as long.

But what you don't understand is that the more people you have working on one thing, the harder it is to come to a consensus as everyone has their one ideas. Throw in a director resignation (who happened to be the coin committee chair). Not to mention that when you throw in such a complex design of a coin. Sure we could have made a simpler coin but we chose to make something more unique for our members this year.

"But what about the question of what the Executive is doing for ME and why should I or anyone else remain a member of the BCGA?"

The BCGA for me is the best place to meet BC cachers period. This site and my membership to it has made me meet so many different people that I probably would have never met. It showcases things such as recent events such as the Gold Country program the Tulameen event and other news stories from around BC, BC cachers recent Milestones to track your caching friends and their adventures, has event listings in BC nicely laid out etc. Not to mention that it is FREE! The friends that I have met have more then made the price of admission worth it !

You are also right that this is a VOLUNTEER position and just as most peoples summers are getting busy with camping, caching etc so are ours!!

Just because there aren't tons of executive updates doesn't mean that nothing is happening behind the scenes and sometimes you have to choose just the right moment for things!

It seems like you have a lot of passion in your posts and maybe you could run in the elections this fall, as passionate individuals are the core of any organization and the BCGA will always benefit from individuals such as yourself.

I read through most of the post on this thread and for the most part everyone liked the design of the coin. I would think that if a bunch of people all of a suddens said "hey that coin sucks" that they might stop and reconsider the coin. But if they are encouraged then the should run with it.

I would also like to say that I have attended numerous events this year, included in that was fearcaching 101, chilliwack get together (cant remember the exact name), the road rally. All of which had numerous executives present and I spoke to several of them.

I would also like to point out that each of the executives have email accounts that would hook you up with them and answer any of your questions, I myself have done that in the past.

Lastly I question this...I noticed that you feel that the executives are there to serve the whole of the geocaching community but you ask what have the done for "you". Well I would guess that unfortunately, not much. The community is large and province wide but I am sure that if you are in need of something specific.....send and email and ask. I have never been turned away by any of the people that I have dealt with at BCGA.

I mean no disrespect but you calling them out on the forums to me shows a great deal of disrespect. All of these people have been nothing but nice to me and my family and I would gladly stand by them, Make my yearly donation and continue to show support by showing up at all of the terific events that my family and I have enjoyed over the past 2 years .

I hear what you are saying about the coin and the members of the Executive. However, to date, with exception of Chris's short reply none have replied to any of my concerns.

The coin is a done deal. I do not like the design but my taste sometimes leaves something to be desired so I did not go on the Forum when it was unveiled and make any comment and neither did a majority of the members. To say everyone liked it may be stretching it. My point is that it is a coin representing the whole of the BC geocaching community, that are members of the BCGA and as far as I am aware, only Executive members had any input. I don't happen to agree with that.

Most of the Executive members are from outside the Lower Mainland, at this time, and I wouldn't know them if I saw them. I met Mach2003 at the Coal Rush but that is all. It might help if there was a symbol on their Forums posts to let us know they are Executive members.

My point with all this is - Do I have to email various Executive members, who I don't know, and ask "Hey - what are you guys talking about?" The cynic in me doesn't think that will go far. The other side of this coin (oops - pun) is - Should the Executive let the membership know in the Forums what they are discussing, what decisions are being made on our behalf, is there a topic we have an interest in, what events are being planned etc.

The newsletter could do this, a Forums post could do it. It seems to me most organizations have minutes of conference calls or meetings where decisions are made and then those are available for anyone who has an interest.

The Forums are here to discuss geocaching interests. I am interested in getting better feedback from the Executive on what they are doing. This allows the membership to request changes if they do not agree with the direction the Executive is moving. I do not believe in just allowing an elected group to have free rein once the election is over. I also reserve the right to disagree with them.

If this is seen as an attack on their integrity or dedication - I apologize. In no way do I think they are not doing the best job they can in attempting to serve a far flung community of diverse individuals. For that they should be congratulated.

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